Never Let Go
by Aetas
Summary: Jack gives Rose a small taste of freedom. Written from Rose's point of view. Oneshot


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Titanic. Rose is not mine. And neither is Jack, sadly.

**Author's Note:** So I saw Titanic for the first time two weeks ago. I can't describe how much I am in love with this movie. I was greatly inspired to write this from the beauty of the scene. I apologize for any errors in the dialogue, since I don't know everything they say and the online scripts are no help. xD I hope you like this short piece.

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The wind was cold, but the sun felt warm. The ship's deck was empty, save for us, and I could feel the world begin to close in around the two of us as I approached. Just the sight of him weakened my knees. The way he stood there, so still, so deep in his thoughts, was beautiful. The ocean was nothing but a soft whisper below us; the waves rushed past the ship's sturdy bow with a noise so faint one could almost forget that the ship was earthbound after all. The sky was alight with brilliant shades of sunset, and twilight was coming fast. Darkness was imminent, but in the lingering light I felt a gentle serenity.

"Hello, Jack." My voice came suddenly even to my own ears, but so softly that I feared I couldn't have been heard at all. I watched as he turned to face me, his expression at once surprised yet distantly hopeful. His eyes on mine made my heart begin to flutter. "I changed my mind." Still he did not answer. I wrenched my gaze from his face, his beautiful, perfect face. "Fabrizio said you might be up -"

"Shh." A smile danced over his lips, and I could feel a spark of happiness light up inside me as my eyes returned to his. "Come here."

I obeyed and grasped his outstretched hand, powerless to do anything else. His fingertips were light against me, softly touching my waist as he pulled me close.

"Close your eyes," was his whisper, breathed gently against my ear. I closed my eyes. "Step up." I was pulled closer towards him and up to the bow of the ship. I shuffled forwards, hesitant, and could feel the cold metal base of the railing touch the tips of my toes. "Step up on the rail." Jack still held me, lifting me slowly as I placed my feet against the painted metal bars. For a moment, I could feel myself losing my balance, but his arms caught me and I relaxed against him. His voice was a whisper again, nearly lost behind the rush of the waves below us. "Do you trust me?"

I did. Of course I did. In his arms I felt safe, protected. Here, the world was ours.

"I trust you, Jack."

He lifted my arms outwards, his hands just barely supporting mine. I felt his fingers trail away before his hands returned to my waist. "Open your eyes," he said, and I did.

The world returned to sharp focus, and before me I could see nothing but clear ocean. The water was endless, infinite in front of us, and the cresting waves sparkled with the gold of the setting sun. I could almost feel myself being lifted up, as if the ship below us had faded away and it was just us, soaring through the sky.

"We're flying!" There was no better way to describe the sensation, the feeling of wind brushing against my face, the way the whole world was laid out at my feet.

I felt Jack's fingers gently twist themselves between mine, caressing my outstretched hands. His face was beside my cheek and I could feel the warmth of his skin. He was all that kept me grounded. Without him I would surely had toppled forwards, meeting my death in the darkness of the eternal ocean below us. But I was safe. In his arms, I was free.

"Come Josephine in my flying machine. Going up she goes, up she goes..."

---

It was cold, so cold. The night was still and silent, the waters calm and even. There was no wind, no breeze to disturb the expanse of open ocean around me. All that kept me afloat was a broken piece of the mighty _Titanic_, although what exactly it had been I could not tell. I was stretched out on my back with the, held safely above the icy water, the waves reaching up the planks of wood towards my shivering body before shrinking back. Above me was nothing but sky, and the darkness was suffocating. The Atlantic was bathed in a celestial blue light that twinkled on the backs of waves. There was an ominous stillness that surrounded me, a hush of death that settled down over the ocean.

I'd never felt more alone.

Jack did not speak. He hadn't said a word for a long time. I wanted to hear his voice, feel his arms hold me...

I stared up at the star-studded sky, breathing in its endless eternity. I could almost feel myself being lifted up towards the heaven, carried by a lover's protecting arms. The water and it's fading whisper drifted away and I felt myself soar.

_Come Josephine in my flying machine. Going up she goes, up she goes..._


End file.
